Roland Mouret opened his first ever store on Carlos Street in London's Mayfair neighborhood earlier this year. Backstage, he explained that got him thinking more about sportswear and separates than he has in the past. The fact that he can cut a mean pair of sweeping, full-legged trousers will be a boon on his sales floor, and his cropped and tapered pants looked great, too.
But Mouret knows which side of his bread is buttered, so there were plenty of dresses here as well. Maybe with thoughts of the new shop he has to fill as an impetus, it seemed as if he designed a frock for every time of day, or at least a length for every moment of the day—mini, midi, and in between. There was fresh charm to a gray TTD with silver lamé dots. TTD, in case you're wondering, is Mouret-speak for Tunic/Top/Dress—it was that short. But then again, Mouret has had years of practice perfecting the mid-calf length that positively everyone's doing now, and it paid off today. "I use fabric like perfume," Mouret said. It sounded like typical backstage blather, but he got it exactly right, especially in the case of a violet rippled silk halter dress that fluttered weightlessly from its model's swanlike neck, and again with an emerald green jersey style with delicate pleats on the bodice. The floor-length dress in that same green was pretty exquisite, too, with a subtly draped, open back. Lots of reasons to hit Carlos Street the next time you're in London.
